Educational device



Dec. 5, 1939. w.K E1LwAGEN EDUCATIONAL DEvlcE Filed Jan. 23, 1939 Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED srlxrss ATENT OFFICE 2,182,084 EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Walter Keilwagen, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application January 23, 1939, Serial No. 252,406

3 Claims.

dividual pictorial showings are viewed, as they are sequentially moved past the lens, the pictorial showings under the lens being illuminated so as to be clearly seen by the observer. y

Another object of this invention relates to the mounting of the pictures on the band in spaced apart relation each picture being provided with a suitable legend describing the subject matter thereof and each picture being further numbered.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of' the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure l is a top View of the device,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through 'the device showing details of construction thereof,

and

. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a band showing manner of mounting of pictures thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I denotes the housing or cabinet of the device which may be ofany desired shape orsize and formed of any desired material. In the preferred form, the cabinet Ill is in the shape of a rectangular box comprising side walls I I, I2, a front wall I3 of less height than the rear wall I4, a base I5 anda top I6 .inclined towards the front wall I3, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The side wall II is provided with a door I 'I to permit access into the interior of 50 the cabinet.

Mounted within the cabinet Ill and on the base I5 in longitudinally spaced apart relation, are the reel supports I 8 and IB, the front support I8 being preferably made shorter than the rear support I9. On the reel supports I8 and I9 are respectively positioned the spindles 2li and 2l on one endof which are xedly Aattached the worm wheels 22 and 23. The reelsv 24 and 25 are detachably mounted on the spindles 2Q and 2E in any desired manner so as to be readily mounted thereon and removed, the reels 24 and 25 being preferably of the same size so as to be interchangeable on the spindles and supports. The reels 2li,l 25 are in the form of spools embodying a hub 26 and end discs 2l', the showing in Figure 2 having an end disc omitted on each reel so as to show the band it wound thereon.

Provided on the base I5 are the bearing supports 3l for a shaft 32. the ends of which are formed to provide the worms 33 and 34, respectively meshing with the worm Wheels 22 and 23. Arranged on the shaft l32 intermediate the bearing supports 3l is aworm wheel 35 which meshes with a worm 36 fitted on the crank spindle 3l, the inner end of which is rotatably supported in the bracket 38. The vother end portion of the crank spindle projects outwardly of the side I2 of the cabinet and has connected thereto a crank 39. Thus rotation of the crank in one direction will simultaneously operate the worm gear drive to rotate the reel spindles Eil- 2L and reels carried thereby in one direction, and a rotation of the crank in the opposite direction will impart a simultaneous rotation of the reels in the other direction. This simultaneous drive of the reels prevents any pull on the y30 band 3d thus obviating any possibility of the same tearing as it is unwound from one reel and wound on the other and vice versa. The intermediate position of the worm drive 35, 35 for the shaft 32 allows the placement of the crank 39 substantially centrally of the side I2 of the cabinet It! rendering its rise convenient to the position of the observer in front of the cabinet.

It is to be distinctly understood that this invention contemplates the use of any other suitable operating means for the reels as for example a chain drive, a crank and connecting rod drive, a p gear drive, a belt drive or a separate crank drive for each reel spindle. The use of such drives are so well known as to constitute in effect mechanical equivalents of each other. l

Between the reels 24 and 25 and adjacent ythe reel 243 mounted on the lower or front support I8 is a platen 4E) having rounded ends M over which the band 3Q is placed for movement thereon. The platen v40 is suitably supported within the cabinet I0 and serves to support the band 3! in proper position for viewing the picture thereon at its supported portion. Preferably the platen 40 is given a slight forward and downward inclination adjacent its front end is provided with up` sta ding guide lugs il one on each side thereof, which the band Si! moves. To prevent ble buckling of the band 30 as it moves l platen i0 and to hold the same smooth and fiat thereon there is provided at the rear end of the said p n and carried by a yoke i5- swingably mounted on the bracket it attached to the underside of the top i6. Between the yoke 'i5 and top iii is provided a spring lll which applies a yielding pressure of the roller lli on the band 3d, in the manner clearly apparent, which is sufficient to hold the band 35i hat while at the same time is not great enough to set up any substantial frictional` resistance to the movement of the band 3d.

Provided on the top i6 above the platen lil is a magnifying lens 5&3 mounted in a sleeve 5! having threaded engagement with a boss The type of lens 563 should be such as to clearly magnify the pictures on the band 30 as they are sequentially moved int-o position on the platen and beneath the lens. The sleeve 5l is adjustable in the boss 52 so as to permit proper focusing of the lens.

v In order to illuminate the pictures on the band Sii as they are positioned beneath the lens 5D, there is provided within the cabinet iii, an electric bulb supported within a suitable holder 5t arranged in a vertical position adjacent the front wall i3 of the cabinet. The holder 55 may contain a flash-light battery (not shown) for lighting the bulb 55, and the switch for operating the same may be placed in the side wall :l2 as at 5l. In place of the flash-light battery the bulb holder 5t may be suitably connectedby an electric wire (not shown) to an electric light socket in the manner well known.

Arranged above the light bulb 5b is a mirror reilector 58 of any suitable size and shape which is so designed as to deiiect the rays of light onto the picture on the band supported by the platen as indicated by the dot and dash lines, thereby rendering the picture visible to the observer.

The band 353 may be made of paper, fabric, or

any other suitable material of any desired length,

width and thickness. Mounted or directly printed on the band Sii are the pictures a, b, c, see Figure 3, each of which is provided with a marginal space carrying a suitable legend describing the same, and each picture being preferably given a number, to prevent overturning thereof, or in other words to facilitate the proper placing of each picture on the platen it and beneath the lens 5E). If desired, each side of the band may carry pictures. l

On the top it of the cabinet there is provided a holder 6d on which is placed the paper, map, sketch, diagram or other explanatory data relating to the pictures on the band viewed by the observer.

From the above description it is thought that the operation of the device is-obvious.

As will be apparent the invention has a multiy tude of uses. The bands mounted on reels may carry any form of pictorial representation for `any educational purpose. Thus, for example, the

ten a superpcsed roller fbi, bearing on invention is suitable for stamp` collections and for art studies of pictures and sculptures and other objects in various museums. The pictures on a band may carry the illustrations accompanying a novel, travel story, scientic text or treatise, etc. In industry, this invention may serve as a means for manufacturers to advertise their merchandise. .f

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An educational device of the character -described comprisinga horizontal cabinet including a base, side walls, front and rear walls with the latter of greater height than the former and a forwardly and downwardly inclined top, longitudinaliy spaced front andy rear vertical reel supports mounted on the base of said cabinet with-said rear support being of a greater height than said front support, a reel ldetachably mounted on a reel spindle carried by each reel support for rotative movement therewith and a band carrying printed or pictorial matter or both wound on one reel and adapted to be unwound therefrom and wound on the other reel, that portion of the band bridging said reels being inclined downwardly and forwardly in parallel relation to said cabinet top, manually operated driving means connected with both said reel spindles whereby to simultaneously rotate said reels in the same direction to aifect rsaid winding and unwinding of said band, adjustable lens means provided on said cabinet top arranged with reference to said inclined band portion as to permit the viewing of only a part thereof adjacent the reel on the front reel support, electric light means mounted on said base between the front wall and front reel support adapted to project a beam of light vertically towards said top, and reflecting means mounted at the corner of said front wall and top adapted to A* reflect said light onto said part of the inclined portion of said band whereby to illuminate the same.

2. The educational device as set forth Iin claim i, wherein said manually operating means comprises, a worm wheel mounted on an end of each reel spindle, a shaft, a worm at each end of said shaft meshing with said reel worm wheels, bearing supports for said shaft, a worm wheel on said. shaft intermediate the ends thereof, a crank spindle carrying a worm meshing with said shaft worm wheel, a bearing bracket supporting one end of said crank spindle, the other end of said crank spindle projecting outwardly of a side of said cabinet, anda crank fixed to the projecting end of said crank spindle.

`3. The educational device as set 'forth in claim l, including a` downwardly and forwardly inclined rectangular platen arranged between said reel supports and beneath said lens, lug means'on the werdenV KEiLwAGEN. 

